FILE - The Pentagon, the headquarters for the U.S. Department of Defense, is seen from the air, Sept. 20, 2025, in Arlington, Va. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, FIle) Associated Press | By Ben Finley and Michael Biesecker Published February 09, 2026 at 10:35am ET WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. military forces boarded a sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean after tracking the ship from the Caribbean Sea, the Pentagon said Monday.

The Pentagon's statement on social media did not say whether the ship was connected to Venezuela, which faces U.S. sanctions on its oil and relies on a shadow fleet of falsely flagged tankers to smuggle crude into global supply chains.

However, the Aquila II was one of at least 16 tankers that departed the Venezuelan coast last month after U.S. forces captured then-President Nicolás Maduro, said Samir Madani, co-founder of TankerTrackers.com. He said his organization used satellite imagery and surface-level photos to document the ship's movements.

According to data transmitted from the ship on Monday, it is not currently laden with a cargo of crude oil.

The Aquila II is a Panamanian-flagged tanker under U.S. sanctions related to the shipment of illicit Russian oil. Owned by a company with a listed address in Hong Kong, ship tracking data shows it has spent much of the last year with its radio transponder turned off, a practice known as “running dark” commonly employed by smugglers to hide their location.

U.S. Southern Command, which oversees Latin America, said in an email that it had nothing to add to the Pentagon's post on X. The post said the military “conducted a right-of-visit, maritime interdiction” on the ship.

“The Aquila II was operating in defiance of President Trump’s established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean,” the Pentagon said. “It ran, and we followed.”

The U.S. did not say it had seized the ship, which the U.S. has done previously with at least seven other sanctioned oil tankers linked to Venezuela.

Since the U.S. ouster of Maduro in a surprise nighttime raid on Jan. 3, the Trump administration has set out to control the production, refining and global distribution of Venezuela’s oil products. Officials in President Donald Trump’s Republican administration have made it clear they see seizing the tankers as a way to generate cash as they seek to rebuild Venezuela’s battered oil industry and restore its economy.

Trump also has been trying to restrict the flow of oil to Cuba, which faces strict economic sanctions by the U.S. and relies heavily on oil shipments from allies like Mexico, Russia and Venezuela.

Since the Venezuela operation, Trump has said no more Venezuelan oil will go to Cuba and that the Cuban government is ready to fall. Trump also recently signed an executive order that would impose a tariff on any goods from countries that sell or provide oil to Cuba, primarily pressuring Mexico because it has acted as an oil lifeline for Cuba.

Cuba Says Airlines Can No Longer Refuel on the Island as US Blockade Deepens Energy Crisis Cuban aviation officials have warned airlines of a fuel shortage for refueling on the island.

Vance Is in Armenia, a Country No Sitting US President or Vice President Has Visited Before Vice President JD Vance is in Armenia, a country that no sitting U.S. vice president or president has visited before.

Military Might: Several US Military Members Compete in 2026 Winter Olympics Eight U.S. military athletes are representing the county at the overseas games, bringing with them a world of experience in…

At 100, WWII Veteran Celebrates a Life of Service Aboard Battleship New Jersey Aboard the Battleship New Jersey, surrounded by friends, family and the ship’s important legacy, John “Johnny Q” Quinesso Sr…

New York Soldier Killed in Afghanistan Will Finally Receive Medal of Honor Advocates pushed for years for Michael Ollis to receive the nation's highest honor. On Tuesday, their dream became a reality.

Hundreds Turn Out to Honor Navy Veteran Who Would Have Been Buried Alone Hundreds of strangers filled a Pennsylvania church to ensure a U.S. Navy veteran who died without family received the send…

Why Some Disabled Veterans Can't Get Both VA Disability and Military Retirement Pay Military service members planning medical retirement face a critical decision point at the 20-year mark.

How a Wounded Pigeon Named Cher Ami Saved the Lost Battalion in WWI A wounded pigeon named Cher Ami helped save a battalion of American soldiers, becoming one of the most recognized animals in…

This 20-Year-Old Sacrificed His Life and Became the First Black Marine Medal of Honor Recipient Every February, Black History Month shines a light on Americans whose contributions shaped the nation. One belongs to Pfc…

Cuba Says Airlines Can No Longer Refuel on the Island as US Blockade Deepens Energy Crisis Cuban aviation officials have warned airlines of a fuel shortage for refueling on the island.

Vance Is in Armenia, a Country No Sitting US President or Vice President Has Visited Before Vice President JD Vance is in Armenia, a country that no sitting U.S. vice president or president has visited before.

US Military Boards Sanctioned Oil Tanker in the Indian Ocean After Pursuit From the Caribbean The U.S. military says it has boarded a sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean.

At 100, WWII Veteran Celebrates a Life of Service Aboard Battleship New Jersey Aboard the Battleship New Jersey, surrounded by friends, family and the ship’s important legacy, John “Johnny Q” Quinesso Sr…

Gaza's Rafah Crossing Opens After 2-Day Closure as Palestinians Claim Delays and Mistreatment A limited number of Palestinians traveled between Gaza and Egypt on Sunday as the Rafah crossing reopened after a two-day…

Visit our Customer Support center for solutions or to contact us.